Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-19
.,RMINGHAM's BOOM.
The City's Population Multiplied
Ten Times in Six Years.

ling. driving Own, whose name is a IA
miIiar word throughout the country and
,,bich ia known far and wide as the
"Magic City of the SOUTH" find by the
oonsus of 1880 that Birmin CHAM was a
thrifty little village of 5000 people; to-
aay. six years later, she has resident
oonuIat,on OF 81. 900 and daily floating
ronuIation of 5000 to 5000. There are
we've passenger trains from different
no,nts arriving here daily, and every
ppna Is crowded with strangers from all
narts of the country, lured hither by the
hone of increasing their worldly means
nv some fortunate speculatlons. They
are quickly captured by enterprising real
aetsta agents, who number 300, as the
uhout the busting town and enter
tanned with graphic descriptions
nj the prospective rise In
th,s or that property. The majority of
these agents own conveyances and are
+ exceedingly courteous In inviting any
me whom they suspect has the slightest
Intention of making an investment in this
nrectous district. While there are many
who come to Birmingham merely from
curiosity to see for themselves II the
A stories OF it's wonderful advance and con-
Il
n majority, having full faith in the re-
norris. are attracted by the desire to invest
Il nr speculate, and make a "big fortune" in
4 a fnw weeks or months, and big fortunes
have been made by many. L have met
men who came here three years ago with
q few hundred dollars who now count
\ their wealth by the tens of thousands,
md numerous instances can be cited of
d thousands of dollars having been made in
real estate transactions where only a
third of the original purchase money has
Neen paid. Property is high and con-
& Nnues to advance. Lots in the business
q circuit Of the city which three months
sgo were sold for $500 from
Il foot are now in demand at $1,000,
and several have recently been
sod at $1,000 foot. Resident
q lots on streets and avenues laid out
q but not graded command from
n S25 to SIS per front foot. The fact
q That scores of sales are daily made at
n these figures Is the best evidence OF the
n faith in the future of this city. Numerous
81 improvements are in progress and the
u glass of buildings, both for residences and
3 stores which are beng erected. are of a
IN more substantial character and hand
somer in appearance than those that have
III been built in the past few years. The
q town is ''rough.' reminding one forcibly
a of some of the new Western towns,
81 though the respectable and refined ele-
a ment is sufficiently large to soften the
n asperities of the situation. One quickly
81 realizes the fact, however, that here, in
x this mad rush for money, seltishness Is
"a paramount, and no matter what you en-
# BARK in, "number one" must be solely
"a considered II you expect 10 make sue
al eess.
1t is good school for the young men,
81 and the experience they have had here
E bas served to make them self-reliant, in
"a dependent and thrifty. Everything is on
# the rush; there is no sauDtering leisureiy
ia down to business at s or 9 O'Clock. BY 7
Ri O'clock the city is wide awake, breakfast
E is over by 1880, an throughout the entire
"a city business is on tie boom. The gov
erning sentiment is, the day for work,
81 night for rest, and from the rising sun
until the going down thereof there Is no
cessation in the turmoil. The old adage,
"Early to bed, earlyltO rise, makes a man
healthy, wealthy and wise," is religiously
adhered to by the greater portion or the
community. There are enough of those
whO think differently, however, to render
the town pretty lively at night.
The great need OF the place is good
hotels. There are q number of so.called
hotels in full blast, but they have inferior
recommendations, poor fare, aud are badly
kept. Every night scores of people are
burned off and many are compelled to
content themselves with cots in the
zdining-roOm and halls. The rush on these
hostelries is so great that those who man
~ age to get room feel that they are for
tunate and are not disposed to grumb le
100 much at the poor accommodations.
Inc Caldwell House, now in course of
erection, will be completed Dec. l, at a
Post oil $3.50, 900, and will have accommo-
S datons for 400 guests. Meanwhile those
VINO come here will have TO put up with
& tncOnvenlences,
Inc drainage system is imperfect, but
ls being improved as rapidly as possible,
ana arrangements are being made to
peter the water supply, which, however,
am Tree to confess, is not as bad as
some reports have stated. The street car
ystem is extensive and would do credit
70 city OF hundred thousand people.
Is admirable in every particular, and
lne majority of the lines have double
tracks, 50 there is no annoyance OF walt
png on switches.
Inc greatest nuisance in the place is
me post Office, which Is about as dirty
ana unlnyiting looking an institution I'M
eeI Ine protection of the government l
ave ever seen. 1t would be disgraceto
mage, and the management is simply
soolnihaole, owing, 1 understand, to an
sullclent force. The mails are badly
istrlouted, and there is great delay in
nepatchlng and receiving them. This
VII should be remedied, and could be if
Ie people, who are loud in their CON-
idihts, would only take proper action.
Eentleman showed me a letter he re-
celVed yesterday which had been mailed
YIN montgomery, as the postmark indi-
osVeu, on Jan. 10, and been knocking
oout thls post office probably ever since.
rangers have no words too strong to ex-
iess thelr disapprObation at the ineffi-
iency OF this post office.
AneIe are now In operation here ten
ndces, and twelve are under contract
VI building and will be completed with
tne next twelve or eighteen months.
nls VIII give the city twenty-five fur
aces, with daily output OF nearly 1000
O 5r5 per day OF pig iron.
ihele are Tour banks in the city, one
a; az ana three National, all doing big
usihess: The President of one of these
anKs told me that Oh Oct. l they had on
sPoslt over 100000. To-day they have
luis one bank $l,100,000. He further
lieu mat there are two banks here,
1er Oh which have larger deposit than
sne banks in Chattanooga combined.
S H,s VIII give some idea of the business
Nile ,ne iron and coal fields around Biz
vaIs nam are inexhaustible, and there is
~ leason 10 accept the general be-
bn vi ner enthusiastic people that within
NC next tive years her nonnIat,on viii